Old Mutual Douglas travel to Cheadle Hulme on Saturday with two good wins under their belt against Blackburn and Carlisle in North One West.
This week’s opponents Manchester made the trek to Penrith last week and lost a high-scoring match, while Douglas took the spoils against the high-flying Cumbrians in a pulsating Port-e-Chee encounter.
Last season Douglas trounced the Mancunians 75-17 in November, but the return at Grove Lane in March saw a much-changed Douglas beaten 38-19.
Form guides this early in the season are tricky and Manchester’s one win was in round two against bottom-of-the-table De La Salle who were promoted last season.
Manchester got no change from Waterloo in round one and occupy 11th place with five points, while Douglas are on nine points in seventh having played one match less with the Stockport fixture re-arranged for later in the season.
Changes in the Douglas squad have Dom Winrow replacing Max Singer at second-row to partner the outstanding two-try Paul Leivers of last week, and promising youngster Harry Raven moving up to the bench after an encouraging front-row display with the Celts.
Skipper Niall Killey returns to police the back-row, and Guy Wood dislodges Carl Murray from fullback to the wing.
Garnishing points away is always a bonus and this squad has the opportunity to bring back a few tasty morsels this weekend.
Squad:
Robert Todd, Carl Markl-Ferns, Todd McDowell, Dom Winrow, Paul Leivers, Niall Killey, Sam Games, Liam Kirkpatrick, Will Cain, Bryn Snellgrove, Carl Murray, Lance Wyllie, Conor Stephens, Adam Boyd, Guy Wood, Harry Raven, Shaun Wyllie, Craig McGee or Mike Dunnett.
Fixtures: Saturday, September 22
North One West
Manchester v Douglas @ Manchester
Lancashire/Cheshire Three
Ramsey v Mossley Hill @ Mooragh Park ko tbc
Ruskin Park v Vagabonds @ Ruskin Park
Women’s NC North West One
Vagabonds v Chester Devas
@ Ballafletcher ko 11.30am
Shimmin Wilson Manx Trophy
Douglas Celts v Emerging Nomads
@ Port-e-Chee ko 2.15pm
Shimmin Wilson Manx Bowl
Castletown v Vagabonds B
@ Poulsom Park 2.15pm
l Round-up of the weekend’s rugby in next week’s Isle of Man Examiner - on sale Tuesday morning.


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